tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3988323189898113183.post3074511249440854223..comments2023-12-18T01:01:57.910-08:00Comments on Modern School: Slick Union Propaganda Against the Corporate Power GrabUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3988323189898113183.post-74730489190607730662012-03-23T08:25:14.687-07:002012-03-23T08:25:14.687-07:00The following comments come from Owlet, on the Dem...The following comments come from Owlet, on the Democracy Underground website:<br /><br />Although I have to agree with this paragraph at the end:<br /><br /> Ironically, if the same energy and resources they are spending fighting this battle had been devoted to educating, organizing and mobilizing their members over the past ten years, promoting class consciousness and militancy, they wouldn’t need a slick campaign now. Teachers would be ready, able and willing to take job actions at the drop of a hat in order to achieve their goals, whether it is to defend their unions’ fundraising capabilities or to increase taxes on the rich in order to adequately fund education. <br /><br /><br /><br />I worked for a state teachers' union for 30 years, as a field rep for 20 of those. Back in the day (late 60's, early 70's) we did exactly what that paragraph says that unions should be doing now. We took teachers out on strike, had them picketing, had parental support for that, the whole union organizing package. Strikes were illegal and teachers went to jail. Fines were imposed. We won some, we lost some, but teachers felt they had power.<br /><br />Then came binding arbitration as the answer to collective bargaining disputes. The union's energy shifted from organizing and militancy to the more refined atmosphere of the arbitration hearing. Union success was no longer measured by how effective a strike was in winning concessions, but in how good the arbitration award was. The rank and file teacher was removed from the process, emotionally and physically, only being called on to cast a vote yea or nay on a final settlement.<br /><br />Dues checkoff duly followed, and even non-union members were required to pay an 'agency fee' for the union to represent them in contract bargaining. This ensured financial stability for the state union. Over time, with the dual problems of contract bargaining and financial stability resolved, the state union became and began to see itself as a member of the establishment - an institution with a right to a position at the table on matters not just of teacher welfare, but of the whole world of educational policy.<br /><br />In other words, the union stopped being a union.<br /><br />Now there is a big push in this state for educational 'reform', which basically means more charter schools, revised evaluation procedures for teachers, and what pretty much amounts to a loss of the fair dismissal process which most people call 'teacher tenure'.<br /><br />And where is this 'battle' taking place? Oh,no, Gentle Reader - not in the streets with marching teachers. This is the era of the legislative hearing and the Governor's Town Meeting.<br /><br />With their profession, personal dignity and economic well-being at stake one would think that it would not be impossible to get teachers mobilized to demonstrate more directly and forcefully that they are not the problem. Unfortunately, years of complacency and non-confrontation have created a very different type of teacher from those in the early days of the movement.<br /><br />It's sad.Anonimohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11040156020859417287noreply@blogger.com